Feel Good About Feeding Your Kids Fried Potatoes

I hate to be cynical about a commercial that is so sweet (okay – that’s a lie… I love being cynical) but there’s a reason why McCain has to make up a fairy tale about the creation of their fries – or more specifically, their smiley faces.¬† Would any mother want to buy from a company if they showed minimum wage workers dropping tons potato slices stamped with happy faces into massive vats of boiling canola oil?¬†Duh, nope. Bring on the potato dusters and affectionate oven mitts.

The reality is that I actually do enjoy McCain’s spot.¬† Heck, I watched the entire 60 seconds, which is pretty lengthy for a fry commercial.¬† Certainly, my younger boys will asking for those greasey grinners as soon as they see this ad because they’ll no sooner doubt the authenticity of the commercial than question the existence of Santa Claus (particularly around Christmas time.)¬† Typically, I keep away from any fried potato products, preferring to purchase a kilogram of PEI spuds for two bucks and, over the course of a month, peel, mash, bake, slice the versatile orbs for frequent dinner side dishes.¬†

Yet, does McCain get what it wants from the commercial? That is: will I buy a pack of frozen smiley faces next time my kids stand by the freezer section of the grocery store, nose pushed against the glass, begging “Ple-e-e-e-e-ease.¬† Can. We. Have. Smiles?”¬†
Well…¬† All right. I’ll get them.¬† But just ONCE.¬† Okay, maybe twice.